Director's Official Visit to BAHAMAS

Nassau, Bahamas.
February 27 - March 2, 2007.
News Release.

Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, Director of the Pan American Health Organization carried out an official visit
to the Bahamas. During her visit, Dr. Roses met important government authorities, including the Minister of
Health, National Insurance and Public Information, Senator the Honourable Dr. Bernard J. Nottage; and the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Fred Mitchell.

At the meeting some of the most relevant health issues in the region were discussed, and PAHO's
cooperation througtout its offices in the Caribbean was highlighted and recognized for the national
authorities.

During her visit to the Bahamas, the Director took the opportunity to deliver the following two presentations:

International Health Agendas: The Bahamas role in PAHO/WHO. In this presentation the Director spotlights
the Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH) mechanism which was developed for the Member States to collectively
focus action and resources towards the achievement of agreed objectives in priority health areas
of common concern, and to identify approaches and activities for joint action and/or technical
cooperation among countries in support of capacity-building for the achievement of the objectives.

Public Health Challenges in the Caribbean. The Director highlights the main mensages
of the Caribbean Commission on Health and Development (CCHD), which includes, among others, to recognize and
promote the thesis that health is a productive asset and encourage further research in this field, that the Caribbean
must re-examine the business case for the development of health services targeted to foreign consumers, that intentional violence
and injuries represent a huge burden to the health services, and that the Caribbean must continue and intensify the actions to
control the epidemic of HIV/AIDS with special attention to: battling stigma and discrimination.

Dr. Roses also attended a live Radio and TV interview. Additionally, there was newspapers coverage of some of the activities
that took place.